Mudlopp



(No Model.) 3Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. LUDLOPP. GENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR AND METHOD OF REGULATING THE SUPPLYTHERETO.

Patented Sept. 5, 1893'.

(No Model.) I a Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. LUDLOFP.

I GBNTRIFUGYAL SBPARATOR AND METHOD OF RBGULATING THE SUPPLY THE'RETO.

No. 504.422. Patented Sept. 5, 1893".

(No Model.) I a Sheets-Sheet 3. P. LUDLOFF. GBNTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR ANDMETHOD OF ,REGULA'TING I THE SUPPLY THERETO'.

Patented Sept. 5, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRIEDRICH LUDLOFF, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR AND METHOD OF REGULATING THE SUPPLY THERETO.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 504,422, datedSeptember 5, 1893.

Application filed June 16, 1893- Serial No. 477,808. (No model.)

To all whom it -may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRIEDRICH LUDLOFF, a subject of the German Emperor,residing at Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Emplre, haveinvented certain new and use- 'ful Improvements in Devices forRegulating the Feed of Centrifugal Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as Will enable others skilled in the art to WhlCh it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to means for automatically regulating the supplyof liquid to a centrifugal separating machine; and it consists in thenovel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 isa vertical section through a centrifugalseparating machine and its automatic supply regulator, and shows alsomeans for revolving the said parts. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of amodified form of regulator secured to the top of a separator drum, anddrawn to a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 2,but showing another modification in the construction of the regulator.Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are plan views showing three modifications in thearrangement of the apertures in the top plates of the regulators. Fig. 7is a vertical section of a separator and a regulator, similar to Fig. 1,but the construction of the regulator is modified and it is detachedfrom the separator.

The centrifugal separator may be of any approved construction adapted toseparate substances of difierent specific gravity.

In illustrating the application of the automatic regulator a simple formof separator has been shown which is adapted to separate milk into creamand skim-milk, but the use of the regulator is not confined to this formof separator, nor to the separation of milk, nor to the devices shownfor revolving it.

A is the separator drum secured on the vertical shaft (1, which isjournaled in the frame A and is provided with a driving pulley a.

B is an operating device for revolving the shaft a. This device consistsof a belt pulley b mounted on a. shaft 12' which is journaled in theframe B. A handle C projects from one of the arms of the pulley b sothat it may be turned by hand.

O is a belt pulley secured on a shaft 0, journaled in the lower part ofthe frame B D is a belt which passes around the belt pulleys b and O,and d is a device for keeping the belt taut. Another belt pulley D issecured on the shaft 0, and d is a belt which passes around the pulleysD and a, so that the drum A may be revolved rapidly by turning thehandle 0.

The milk is led into the separator drum A from the supply pipe E. Whenthe drum is revolved very rapidly its contents form a hol low paraboloidinside it, the skim-milk being driven to the periphery of the drum andthe cream remaining nearer its center.

E is a collecting pipe for removing the skim-milk, and e is a collectingpipe for removing the cream. The lower end of the pipe E communicateswith a cylinder F which is secured to the frame A, and f is an outletpipe projecting from the bottom of the cylinder F and adapted todischarge the skimmilk into the receptacle F. The lower end of the creamcollecting pipe 6 communicates with an annular chamber G in the saidcylinder F, and g is an outlet pipe projecting from the bottom of thechamber G and adapted to discharge the cream into the receptacle G.

In a centrifugal separator of this description the supply of milk fromthe supply pipe E is constant, and it is found that the separation isbest effected when the drum is driven at a certain speed, say of fourthousand revolutions a minute. If this speed is decreased all theavailable cream will not be separated from the skim-milk, and if thespeed is increased unnecessary work will be done. It is difficult torevolve the drum at one uniform high velocity, more especially When itsdriving is effected by a hand-operated device.

In carrying out the present invention the supply of milk from the supplypipe to the drum is automatically varied and controlled by the speed ofthe drum itself, so that no irregularity in the Work of the machine iscaused by fluctuations in its speed.

In the form of automatic regulator shown in Fig. 1, 2 is a vesselsecured to the top of the drum A under the supply pipe. This vessel isprovided with a bottom 3 and has one or more outlets 4 through which themilk maypassintothedrum. Theoutletor outlets 4 are proportioned in areaso that a certain pre- 5 arranged quantity of milk will pass throughthem per unit of time with a prearranged normal speed of revolution ofthe vessel. Inside the vessel 2 is preferably a cylinder 5 provided withholes 6 at its lower part. The holes 6 are of large area so that they donot obstruct the flow of milk under any circumstances. The cylinder maybe dispensed with if desired, but it is useful as it prevents the milkfrom splashing in the vessel 2. A cover plate 7 is secured to the top ofthe vessel 2. This cover plate has a central hole 8 under the supplypipe, and holes or openings 9 between the hole 8 and its periphery. Theholes 8 and 9 may be variously arranged and proportioned. In Fig. 4 theholes 9 are small and triangular; in Fig. 5 the holes 9 arecircumferentially-curved slots; and in Fig. 6 the openings 9 join intothe center hole 8. In Fig. 1 a plate 10 is shown a little below the topplate, and is provided with a large central hole 11, but this plate maybe dispensed with if desired. A stationary catch pan 12 is secured tothe top of the cylinder F, or is supported in any other approved manner.The top of the regulator vessel 2 projects through a central hole 13 inthe bottom of the catch pan, which is provided with a flange 13. Thecatch pan is also provided with an out let pipe 14 adapted to dischargeinto the 5 overflow vessel 15.

The operation of the automatic regulator is as follows: As the vessel 2is revolved rapidly with the drum A, the milk is thrown to its peripheryby centrifugal force, and passes 40 through the outlets 4 into the drum,rising to some extent around the periphery of the said vessel. When thespeed of the drum and the regulator vessel is temporarily diminished,the milk will be forced through the outlets at 5 with less pressure, andwill accumulate around the periphery of the vessel 2. As soon as theaccumulating milk overflows the edge of the hole 11 of the plate 10 itis driven olf through the holes or openings 9 and falls into the catchpan l2, whence it passes into the overflow vessel 15. The action is thesame when the plate 10 is not used but the position of the outer edgesof the holes or openings 9 then determines when the overflow shallcommence, and the point at which overflow commences can be more nicelyregulated by using the plate 10 having a single large hole 11 in it. Themilk can be seen as it runs into the overflow vessel, and the operatorthen knows that the machine must be turned with increased speed. Themilk is subsequently removed from the overflow vessel and is poured intothe supply vessel. Itis not expected that the speed of the drum andregulator vessel will 6 5 ever be much increased above the normal, butif such should be the case the operator will notice that no milkwhatever is being driven into the overflow vessel, and will not drivethe machine so fast. Increase of speed is of no detriment to the productlike diminution of speed, but only tires the operator. The automaticregulator however guards against the evil eifects of both increase anddiminution of speed.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2, the bottom of the vessel 2 isconcave and consists of a portion of the top of the drum A, the outlets4 being in the bottom 3 instead of in the sides. The inner cylinder 5 isdispensed with, and the cover plate 7 and the plate 10 are replaced by asingle funnel-shaped plate 10 having a central hole 11. The operation ofthis form of the regulator is identical with the form shown in Fig. 1.

The modification of the regulator shown in Fig. 3 is exactly the same asthat shown in Fig. 1 except that the cylinder 5 is left out.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the regulator is driven separatefrom the separator drum. The separator and the mechanism for driving itare exactly the same as shown in Fig. l, but the separator drum shown inFig. '7 has a small receiver H at its top provided with holes 71. at itslower part inside the drum A, so that the milk can be driven into thedrum'without carrying in air with it. In this form of the apparatus theregulator vessel 2 is arranged at the upper part of the frame B of theoperating device, and is secured on a vertical shaft I journaled in thesaid frame and operatively connected with the shaft 0 by the intergearing beveled toothed wheels 0111'. The milk supply pipe E is arranged overthe regulator vessel, and regulator vessels such as hereinbeforedescribed may be used.

In the modified form of regulator shown in Fig. 7, the action issubstantially the same as in the regulators hereinbefore described, butthe positions of the corresponding parts are reversed. The vessel 2' hasoutlets 4. in the upper part of its periphery, and an outlet pipe 9' inits bottom near its center. WVhen the vessel 2' is revolved at itsprearranged normal speed, the milk rises against its periphery andpasses through the outlets 4: into the receptacle 20, and thence downthe spout 21 into the receiver H of the drum A. When the vessel 2' isrevolved at its prearranged normal speed no milk passes down the pipe9', but when its speed and that of the separator drum A is diminished aportion of the milk passes down the pipe 9 into the catch pan 12, whenceit passes into the overflow vessel 15' by way of the pipe 14:.

In each form or modification of the regulator the revolving vessel 2 or2 is provided with two separate outlets or series of outlets,

and one outlet is arranged nearer to its center or axis than the otheroutlet. The outlet or outlets more remote from the center of theregulator vessel deliver the milk to the revolving separator drum, andthe outlets nearer to its center serve for the discharge of the surplusmilk when the speed of the separator drum and the regulator vessel fallsbelow the prearranged normal speed at which they are designed to work.

The regulator is most conveniently arranged when attached to the top ofthe separator drum as shown in Fig. l; but when arranged separate fromthe said drum it may be driven at a difierent speed from the drum.v

The regulator is connected with the drum so that the speeds of theregulator and drum are constantly in the same proportion, and so that afluctuation of the speed of the drum is attended by a similarfluctuation in the speed of the regulator.

What I claim is- 1. The method of automatically regulating the supply ofliquid to a centrifugal separator, which consists in subjecting thesupply liquid to centrifugal force before it enters the separator anddischarging into a separate vessel a portion of the supply liquidproportionate to any decrease in the normal speed of the separator,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a centrifugal separator, of a centrifugalsupply regulator consisting of a hollow vessel provided with two outletsarranged at different distances from its axis, and driving mechanismoperating the separator and the regulator at the same proportionatespeeds, whereby the supply of liquid is automatically renderedproportionate to the speed of the separator, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a centrifugal separator, and driving mechanismfor revolving it; of a centrifugal supply regulator consisting of ahollow vessel provided with two outlets arranged at different distancesfrom its axis secured to the said separator and operating toautomatically reduce the supply of liquid to the separator when thespeed of the separator is diminished, substantially as set forth.

4. In an automatic supply regulator for a centrifugal separator, thecombination, with a revoluble vessel provided with two outlets arrangedat different distances from its axis, of a catch pan arranged around theoutlet nearer the axis of the vessel and adapted to receive the surplussupply liquid when the speed of the said vessel is diminished,substantially as set forth.

5. In an automatic supply regulator for a centrifugal separator, thecombination, with a revoluble vessel provided with an outlet at itslower part near its periphery for the passage of the liquid to theseparator, and a second outlet at its upper part between the first saidoutlet and the axis of .thevessel; of a catch pan arranged around thesecond sald outlet and adapted to receive the surplus supply liquid whenthe speed of the said vessel is diminished, substantially as set forth.

6. In an automatic supply regulator for a centrifugal separator, thecombination, with a revoluble vessel provided with an outlet at itslower part near its periphery, a second outlet at its upper part nearerthe axis of the vessel than the first said outlet, and an internalvessel provided with openings at its lower part; of a catch pan forreceiving the surplus liquid which passes through the second said outletwhen the speed of the vessel is diminished, substantially as set forth.

7. In an automatic supply regulator for a centrifugal separator, thecombination, with a revoluble vessel provided with an outlet at thelower part of its periphery, a cover plate provided with a central inlethole for the liquid and outlets between the said central hole and itsperiphery; of a catch pan for receiving the surplus liquid when thespeed of the vessel is diminished, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination,with the revoluble vessel 2 provided with an outlet4: at its periphery, the internal cylinder provided with holes 6, thecoverplate provided with a central hole 8 and outlets 9 between the hole8 and its periphery, and the plate 10 secured in the vessel below thecover plate and provided with the outlet hole 11; of a catch panencircling the said vessel and adapted to receive the surplus liquiddriven through the outlets 11 and 9, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

9. An automatic supply regulator for a centrifugal separator, comprisingin its construetion a revoluble vessel provided with a central openingfor the entrance of the supply liquid and two separate outlets throughwhich the said liquid is discharged by centrifugal force, one of thesaid outlets being arranged nearer the axis of the said vessel than theother said outlet, the outlet more remote from the axis operating topermit the passage of the liquid into the separator, and the outletnearer the axis operating to permit the discharge of surplus liquid fromthe said vessel without entering the separator.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature i presence of two witnesses.

FRIEDRICH LUDLOFF.

Witnesses:

' ADRE BoIs-RnvMoND,

HERMANN Dnossn.

